A FAMILY who lived in a pitched tent at a park in Worcester have spoken about their ordeal.

Dennis Stiers and his partner Linzi Holden, together with her 16-year-old daughter, were found living in a tent at Pitmaston Park in Malvern Road by Worcestershire homelessness charity Maggs Day Centre.

Mr Stiers, who originates from Windsor, Ontario in Canada, arrived in Worcester last year with Ms Holden on vacation, initially staying at a friend's property.

But issues with resident permits, service charges and visas left the family without accommodation - forcing them to sleep rough in a tent.

"We came here in September for a vacation and stayed at a friend's house until her brother moved in," said Mr Stiers.

"We came here with around £3,000 but we were running around trying to get a biometric residency permit after housing questioned Linzi's ILR.

"We were in accommodation at Lyra Court in Worcester until they kicked us out and then we were in a tent.

"We were then put in Bromyard and were told to pay £16 service charge, and then before we left, we were told we owe £2,000, which we were like 'this was never mentioned at all'.

"You have no idea what we have been going through. We have been looking for work, people have had me want to work for them but I need a type of work visa.

"We didn't do this intentionally, we never asked for this."

The family spent two weeks living in a tent at Pitmaston Park until Maggs Day Centre and child services put them in temporary accommodation.

Mr Stiers stressed that the situation would be no different if they were back home as friends and family have not offered to help.

"Back home we would still be in the same spot," he said.

"We don't have the help from friends or family. It truly sucked living in a tent but it kept us warm and sheltered from the rain. We had our own clothes and went to the foodbank for supplies."

The family will be provided accommodation until March 20 when they will discuss with representatives what the next steps will be.

"We are talking with them about what is going to happen. The tent has been taken down, the county council left a note for it to be removed.

"All we want is to work and have a place of our own. We are not asking for any handouts, that's not what we want to do.

"We want to find a place we can call our own, something we can afford until we get our feet off the ground."